The term 'a game of two halves' is often applied to a football game; in the case of the Northern Commercials Stadium (but still known to many fans as Valley Parade), a ground of 'two halves' comes to mind. The ground has been now been completely re-built since the mid 80's, but the initial impression is that one side is twice as big as the other. The Kop End, is a relatively new two tiered stand, that is simply huge and looks quite superb. It once towered over the rest of the ground, but the addition of another tier to the Co-Operative Main Stand during 2001 has led to it meeting its once larger neighbour. With the corner between these stands also being filled, one has a truly impressive spectacle.

The rest of the ground now looks somehow rather out of place. The Northern Commercials (Midland Road) Stand is a covered single tiered stand, which has windshields to each side. At some other grounds this would look impressive, as it is of a fair size and is free of supporting pillars. However it almost is lost in the shadow of its larger newer neighbours. At the remaining end is the TL Dallas stand which is an odd looking small 'double decker' type stand. This two tiered covered stand has the upper tier largely overhanging the lower tier, giving this 'double decker' effect. There is also a large electric scoreboard in one corner of the ground, between the Midland Road and TL Dallas Stands.

In 2016 Valley Parade was renamed the Northern Commercials Stadium, in a three year corporate sponsorship deal.

After an absence of a few seasons, away fans now find themselves back in the TL Dallas Stand at one end of the ground, where 1,840 fans can be accommodated. If possible try to get tickets for the upper tier, as the view of the action is far better. On the downside there are a number of supporting pillars that could impede your view. Roger Mulrooney a visiting Barnsley fan adds; 'On my last visit I found the home crowd friendly and non threatening. The stewards were particularly good natured and helpful. Still a very good away day for a visiting fan'.

Fred Benson a visiting Scunthorpe United fan informs me; 'On our recent visit, the lower tier of the TL Dallas was closed to away fans, apart from disabled spectators. With the upper tier being sold out other Scunthorpe fans were accommodated in the Midland Road Stand, which seemed strange. Even with the lower tier being closed the refreshment kiosk had run out of hot food by half time and there were big queues for the toilets.'

Having been a student in Bradford and having watched them win the old Third Division, I have a bit of a soft spot for this club. And having been there on the day of that fateful fire in 1985, Valley Parade will always stay deep in my memory. Pleasingly I have found Bradford to have become rather more friendly towards away supporters in recent years. It is quite an enjoyable day out especially if you enjoy what the city has to offer. Make sure that you wrap up well unless the weather forecast is 80 degrees. This is because Bradford is situated at a bottom of a valley, down which a rather cold wind normally prevails.

Chris O'Sullivan a visiting Bury fan recommends the Bradford Arms on Manningham Lane; 'It is only about two minutes from the ground and was welcoming to away fans'. About a ten minute walk away from the stadium along Manningham Road (going away from the City Centre) is the Cartwright Hotel, which has a sizeable bar. Also about a ten minute walk away (this time towards the City Centre) is the 'Corn Dolly' on Bolton Road, which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, as is the New Beehive on Westgate. The New Beehive is somewhat of a 'step back in time' still having gas lighting.

Near to Bradford Forster Square Station on North Parade is another pub to feature in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, the Sparrow Bier Bar. This bar offers up to four real ales, plus ciders and continental lagers. Neil Le Milliere a visiting Exeter City fan adds; 'The Sparrow was superb. Although on the small side (it is probably only good for 50 or so supporters), it is still an excellent place to visit with a superb choice of ales and special drinks. Plus the pork pies were to die for!'

Alcohol is not available to away fans in the TL Dallas Stand. If there is a large following and the Club allocate a portion of the Midland Road Stand to visiting supporters, then beer is on sale in that stand.

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Leave the M62 at Junction 26 and take the M606 for Bradford. At the end of the motorway, keep to the right hand lane and take the Ring Road East (signposted A6177 City Centre). From this point the stadium is well signposted through the use of a football image. At the next roundabout turn left continuing along the Ring Road East, passing a McDonalds on your left and then an Asda superstore. At the next roundabout turn left onto the A650 (signposted City Centre/Keighley). After crossing a further two roundabouts the road becomes three lanes. Keep in one of the two right hand lanes (signposted Keighley/Skipton). Continue straight along this road towards Skipton and eventually you will be able to see the stadium in front of you, over on the left. At the Kia Car Dealership on your left, turn immediately left into Station Road. At the top of Station Road turn left along Queens Road, then the second left into Midland Road for the away entrance. For the main offices continue along Queens Road and at the traffic lights turn left into Manningham Road. The ground is quarter a mile away on the left. Mostly street parking around the ground.

If going by train into Bradford Interchange, it is quite a walk to the ground (20 minutes). Either take a taxi (£6) or alternatively the bus station is located next to the train station (Bus No's 622, 623, 626 or 662). Chris Hawkridge suggests; 'supporters travelling via Leeds should catch the Leeds - Bradford Forster Square service (two trains per hour during the day) rather than those to Bradford Interchange. Forster Square is only 10 minutes walk from the ground'.

Walking directions:

From Bradford Forster Square (Trains from Leeds, Skipton & Ilkley)
Leave the station to the right of the ticket office, either up the six or so flights of stairs or up the long ramp further on. This brings you out on Manor Row, where you should turn right. Keep on this road passed the City Gent pub to a massive crossroads. Here, you can either go straight over and walk all the way down Manningham Lane, passed The Bradford Arms Pub to Valley Parade, just before the Petrol Station. Alternatively, fans in sitting in Dallas or Midland Road Stands (away end) will find it easier to turn right at the main cross roads, then turn left on to Midland Road after 100 yards and follow the road all the way to the turnstiles.

From Bradford Interchange (Trains from Everywhere else)
Leave the station walking towards the city centre, with the Queen pub on your left and St. Georges Hall on the right. Walk down the hill, and take a right just after the Ginger Goose pub, on to Market Street. Follow this road round to the mini round about and go up the hill. You will come on to Manor Row, where Bradford Forster Square Station is…and can follow the instructions above.

Thanks to Chris Eveleigh for providing the walking directions above.

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Bradford City v Oxford United
League One
Saturday 30th December 2017, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Northern Commercials Stadium?

As a Northern Exile Bradford has been one of my regular away games. That said Oxford never get a result there and with recent form, I was travelling more in hope than expectation.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey was fine apart from Bradford itself. Their website warns traffic can be heavy and slow in the city and that was the case with football and shopping traffic making it a slow last leg. There is some limited parking near the ground for £4. As I was travelling on my own, I parked there and went straight to ground.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

The home fans always seem okay at Bradford and I went for a cup of tea as I had arrived with 25 minutes to go before kick off. On previous visits I have had a pint in one of a number of local pubs without issue.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Northern Commercials Stadium?

Bradford's Valley Parade ground is fairly impressive apart from the after thought of the away end. But the view is okay. The pitch did not look at its best and I was surprised it didn't cut up more as the game went on

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The stewards were low key, catering, the standard fayre, toilets cramped - the away end does need upgrading. As to the game, Bradford will be good value for the play-offs this season and could have been four up at half time. It was an outstanding display from our Goalkeeper Eastwood to keep it to 1-0. In the second half the game opened up. Oxford looked decent going forward but cannot defend as a unit. Both sides had chances but Bradford won the game 3-2 and that was a fair result.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

A prompt exit meant I got on the inner ring road quickly and was on more way back - of course, a lot of city centre traffic had died down by then.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

For a neutral watching, a decent game. I was not too disappointed as Bradford are a decent outfit. Good atmosphere at the ground, but the away facilities are lacking somewhat.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Northern Commercials Stadium?

Coming from Barnsley, Valley Parade was a big miss in my Yorkshire grounds list. I have been to Odsal for Rugby League and Park Avenue at the Horsfall Stadium but never Valley Parade.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I took the train and Valley Parade was an easy walk from Bradford Forster Square station.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

I went to the excellent Sparrow Bier Café first. A cracking pub and well worth the visit. I then walked up to the ground and the club shop, for a scarf and pin badge. I then spent a few minutes quiet contemplation remembering the victims of the Bradford fire, which is still raw in the memory.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Northern Commercials Stadium?

Valley Parade is very much the ground of two halves but still very much a traditional football ground. The Kop and JCT600 Stands are mightily impressive but I’d love to see some terracing back. The away fans were sat opposite in the Midland Road Stand and made a fair bit of noise.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Fans of lower tier clubs always moan that bigger clubs don’t respect the FA Cup so for just under 5,000 to make the effort, it was very disappointing. Maybe, as suggested by a season ticket holder near me, clubs like Bradford could include the first two rounds of the cup in the package seems a good idea. Certainly, it would help the atmosphere and there’s more spent on food and merchandising.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

An easy ten minute walk back to the station even stopping to take more photographs.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

I had a great day out. £10 a ticket was good. Shame more fans weren’t there given Bradford’s usual attendances. Had the luxury of not having to drive so spent some time in decent pubs.

Bradford City v Plymouth Argyle
League Two
Saturday 11th November 2017, 3pm
David King (Plymouth Argyle.fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Northern Commercials Stadium?

Only my second game of the season and an overdue return to Valley Parade.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I travelled up to Bradford on Friday and stayed two nights. After a long but relaxing train journey from Cornwall I spent Friday night visiting the New Beehive pub and Castle pub. Both are CAMRA listed and a 15 minute walk from the City centre. The New Beehive is like a step back in time, a traditional pub like they used to be 50 years ago and is terrific.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

On Saturday I visited the Lloyds No1 in Centenary Square for lunch then walked to the Fighting Cock pub which has a great selection of beers. Some friendly Bradford fans here showed me the way to Valley Parade from here which was a 20 minute walk.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Northern Commercials Stadium?

The ground is surrounded by housing and not visible from a distance. After a visit to the memorial to the terrible fire at the ground in 1985, I walked down a lane to the away turnstiles. The walk up to the away stand involves negotiating a lot of steps which elderly or infirm people might struggle with.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The view from the away end is reasonably good although the refreshment area and toilets are inadequate. There were queues for both before the game and around half time. Bradford despite having more possession than Argyle only created a couple of half chances early on. Plymouth took the lead on 35 minutes. a good defence splitting through ball was crossed into the penalty area from the right for Jake Jervis to score. A good save from Norwich loanee goalkeeper Remi Matthews in goal for Argyle kept the score 0-1 at half time. Bradford applied more pressure in the second half as Plymouth sat deep and defended although they did have a few breakaways. A scramble in the penalty area late in the second half saw the referee give Bradford a debatable penalty however it was saved. The referee was particularly fussy and was inconsistent throughout the game. despite intense late pressure from the home side Plymouth held on for a valuable three points.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

I walked back to the city centre and after some food in the hotel I went to the nearby Corn Dolly pub to celebrate the win. Another CAMRA listed pub a short distance from the city centre with a good selection of beers.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A good weekend helped with a much needed three points for a Plymouth side that has had a poor start to it's season back in League One. A great selection of pubs in Bradford means this is a great place for away fans to visit.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Valley Parade ground?

Bradford City play good football and Rovers had picked up our form recently, so hopeful of seeing a good game. I also had never been to Valley Parade Bradford. Sky broadcasting were showing the game on television so it was an early lunchtime kick-off.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

From where I live in London I drove up the M1, M62 West and then the M606 into Bradford. The 200 mile journey, took just over three hours and I parked opposite a Tesco Express just off the main road above the ground. I felt lucky to secure this free parking spot?

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

It was a quick walk to the ground. There were lots of Bradford fans around at 11:00 am. I did not talk to any but had no problems.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

The home stands are impressive, although the JT Dallas away stand was a bit of a dump. One toilet, one food kiosk that had ran out of food at half time, with long queues at both.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

It was a not a good game for us defensively. Our main two centre backs were away on international duty so we were missing them. Bradford City were the better and physically stronger team. They won 3-1 with Wyke scoring a hat-trick. Their first goal seemed offside to me and I appealed but no one else including our players appealed so ... The stewards were okay but perhaps need to smile a bit more?

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Easy although it took some time getting to ring Road for M606.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Nice day, shame we only played in patches. Bradford deserved the win and look a good team as per last season. I had though put on a little bet on the score being 3-1 ..... to both teams, so a little financial reward for me!

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Valley Parade ground?

I have been to Bradford City before.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I went on a supporters coach. It was a long journey from Bristol, with an early start for the 12.30pm kick off.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

As we got off the coach we were told by a steward that if we go off and get drunk, that we wouldn't be allowed into the ground. He then proceeded to tell us there was no alcohol on sale inside the ground for away fans. So off we went to the Bradford Arms pub. Here the service was excellent, it was very friendly and we had a laugh with home some fans. Suffice to say, we did get into the ground after a few drinks.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

The away end is dated, the rest of ground looks decent.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Here we go, this is the bad bit. Apart from losing the game 3-1 and no alcohol for away fans, the food kiosk ran out of pies before the half time whistle had even blown. I have never known this to happen at any other ground. Plus there was a strict no smoking policy. Overall it was very poor for away fans.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We were stuck in traffic jams for nearly an hour afterwards. I would recommend you hang on after the game and let the traffic die down.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

The Bradford Arms was a nice pub. Poor hospitality in away end (no pies, alcohol or smoking area), chirpy home fans walking past away coaches at end quick enough to give it but not take the banter back. Mainly a long day, very long away day, but another ticked off the list. Won't go again unless we met them in the play-offs at the end of the season.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Valley Parade ground?

Having been away on holiday it was my first game of the season. Plus as Blackburn had not started so well so it was a pretty key game for us. Bradford City have an impressive home record going unbeaten for about 18 months and it was my first competitive fixture here having come over for a pre-season game a few years back.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

It was a pretty easy train journey for me of just over an hour including a change at Manchester Victoria into Bradford Interchange. The added bonus of living closer to Manchester means I can avoid some of the numpty element on the Blackburn trains that some of my mates had to put up with. The valley Parade Ground is fairly easy 20-30 minute walk from city centre.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We went to a pub called the City Vaults that we'd visited previously for a pre-season game. It was pretty busy but there was a good mix of home and away fans and no hint of any aggro. The pub at plenty of televisions showing the early game, reasonable food and a good range of ales so I couldn't complain at all.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

As I said I've been once before but was sat in the side then. It was first time behind the goal and I'd agree with some comments that I'm presuming the views in the upper tier are better but as we'd taken the whole end we were stuck with our seats in the lower tier right behind the net and a few rows back. Not ideal for the kids but the ground is impressive for 1 half and then a bit dated but Valley Parade is a good old ground.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game was by no means a classic but we defended a lot better than we'd done recently and nicked a goal at the start of the second half. Charlie Wyke came on after 70 mins and we were a bit worried how we'd cope but all in no major dramas. The atmosphere was good, the ground seems to be a decent size yet keeps the noise in well. Facilities not the best toilets were cramped to say the least, no beer wasn't a massive blow as it meant I could easily get the kids some food at half time but just a small kiosk with limited room.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

As per getting to it's a fairly easy walk back into town, there wasn't any sign if aggro and the fans were friendly. We went in a new complex of bars that had been recommended called Sunbridge Wells and again I would recommend.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Top day out at Valley Parade which is decent ground and hopefully the good result is a sign of things to come us for the rest of the season.

Bradford City v Fleetwood Town
Football League 1 Play-Off 1st leg
Thursday 4th May 2017, 7:45pm
Christopher (Fleetwood Town fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Valley Parade Ground?

Valley Parade was a new ground for me and with my early finish from College on Thursdays, I could make the coach departure at 4pm. Plus there was the small matter of it being the first leg of the Play Off semi-finals. It was potentially one of the most important games in our short but sweet history.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Our coach set off at 4:10pm and arrived at Valley Parade at about 6:20pm or so. The plan was to go on to the M61 and M62 but we took a wrong turn in Manchester and we headed towards the Trafford Centre instead. As a result, we got caught up in a bit of congestion on the Manchester Ring Road but still made it way before kick off. We had to wait ten minutes before being able to park, due to a heavy Police presence and a closed road.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Me and most of the contingency on my coach made for the Bradford Arms pub, about a ten walk minutes from the ground. It's a nice little setup but a bit cramped inside. Supporters from both sides were in the pub, all mingling about in what was a very friendly and high-spirited atmosphere. We even joined in with a rendition of "Leeds are falling apart again". With the importance of the game, the Police presence was understandable but completely unnecessary as it turned out as there were no confrontations between supporters at all. I was able to walk to and from the pub without ever feeling unsafe or at risk.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

Valley Parade is a very impressive spectacle that dwarfs the houses and buildings around it. This is thanks to the massive Main and Kop Stands. Even the stand we were in wouldn't look out of place in the Premier League. Unusually, we were in the corner of the Midlands side stand rather than the double decker end stand which I was a little disappointed about having never been in one of those before. Nevertheless, the side stand is impressive and you get good views of everything on the pitch. It also allowed for good banter with the Bradford fans in this stand. A few years ago, Fleetwood Town came to this neck of the woods to play Guiseley which (No disrespect to Guiseley) is a far cry from Valley Parade and a measure of how far we've progressed in such a short space of time.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

From a Fleetwood perspective, the game was a poor affair (a view shared with many neutrals who watched it on the telly) with us losing 1-0 and not creating much in attack. Unsurprisingly Bradford scored from a set play- a trademark of their team of "Giants". In the end it could and probably should have been two or three for Bradford but at least we were still in the tie at the end. The atmosphere was fantastic throughout with the Bradford fans being the loudest I had ever heard. All three home stands were rocking and the noise was deafening at times.The 559 Fleetwood fans were also in fine voice throughout but were admittedly out sung by the thousands of Bradford fans. The stewards were reserved and didn't get hands on with anybody from what I saw, though I heard that they were a bit heavy handed with a supporter who let off a smoke bomb in the concourse. I didn't try any food at the ground and didn't even see where it was sold.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The away coaches were given a Police escort out of Bradford which meant that we took all of five minutes to leave Bradford and get back on the motorway once we set off, having taken 20 minutes to get to the ground before the match. We must have gone through at least seven red lights and it looked like a military convoy was in town. It took us about an hour and a half to get back to Fleetwood.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

It was a fantastic away day overall it would have been higher up my personal list if we had got a positive result. Had it been a normal league game, I don't think I would have been as disappointed as I was at the end. The ground is spectacular, the home fans were very friendly and the atmosphere throughout the day was brilliant. I would happily go to Valley Parade again when the chance arises. Finally, I'd just like to pay my respects to the 56 supporters who died in the Valley Parade stadium fire, of which the 29th anniversary was 7 days after our play-off leg. It was a sobering thought that 29 years ago, across the pitch from where we were seated, such a tragic event could happen and it's a credit to Bradford that they have come back so strongly from such a devastating event.

Bradford City v AFC Wimbledon
Football League One
Saturday 22nd April 2017, 3pm
Brian May (AFC Wimbledon fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Valley Parade Ground?

It was my first visit to Valley Parade and I had been told that the Bradford City fans create a great atmosphere. With the Dons mathematically safe, I was looking forward to a stress-free game of football.

Main Stand and Kop

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We travelled by train to Bradford Interchange station and it is a pretty straight walk from there to Valley Parade. It's a fairly flat route, with one slight uphill section but overall pretty easy and took us about 20 minutes.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

The train times from our home in Scotland meant we arrived in Bradford with not much time to do anything else, so we headed straight to the ground. The home fans were really friendly and we were twice asked if we were alright and knew where we were going. Maybe just because I had kids with me, but I honestly can't remember any other set of supporters looking after visitors like that.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

You can see the roof scaffold from a long way away and once you get up close you can see that the two new stands are enormous. They tower impressively above the other sides of the ground - a smart single tiered stand and the small two tiered away stand. The away stand appears to be the oldest part of the ground and is very basic with the facilities such as the refreshment kiosk and toilets in brick buildings standing separately from the seating areas.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The stewards were polite letting us know that the lower seating deck was closed but we could sit anywhere in the upper deck. Refreshments on offer were Pukka Pies and although decent were a bit on the expensive side. Toilet facilities were very basic - they coped with Wimbledon's small following but I could imagine long queues for any team bringing a large support. This being City's last home game of the regular season, there was a minute silence for the victims of the Bradford fire, impeccably observed by everyone. The game was pretty one sided, to be honest with Bradford going all out to book their place in the play-offs and the Wimbledon team seemingly already thinking about the beach. Whilst some Dons fans were ready to blame the referee for giving Bradford a soft penalty, the 3-0 final scoreline didn't flatter the hosts at all.

Our View From The Away End

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We were going back from Bradford Forster Square station and this was an easy, straight walk mostly downhill. It took us around ten minutes and again we had home supporters offering to give us directions - a very friendly lot those Bradford fans!

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A really nice ground with a good atmosphere and a warm welcome. Wimbledon's poor performance didn't dampen the day too much as we had nothing riding on it, and I hope that Bradford do well in the play-offs.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Northern Commercials Stadium?

I was looking forward to it as the game was a big top of the table clash. Plus it was another Yorkshire v Lancashire encounter so was much anticipated.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I got a minibus in and after we got through the traffic of the city centre we eventually found the away car park and got dropped off right outside the ground. I feel there could be better signage for away supporters coaches as it was hard to find.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Before the game we went to a pub about five miles south of Bradford in Wyke. It was a decent pub called the Halfway House with good price beers and facilities. Most Bolton fans went in pubs in the city centre and around Valley Parade.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Northern Commercials Stadium?

It looks like the ground is unfinished, with different stands, which I don't like personally. In my opinion all fans should be given the same view of the game. In the away end I've never known being in an upper tier that is so close to the pitch as this one. As rather than being setback the upper tier is directly above the lower.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Bolton didn't start well with some defensive howlers giving Bradford City a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes, luckily we held out until half time and came out in the second half all guns blazing. We deserved to be back in the game and thanks to goals from Wheater and Madine we were level. Late in the game both sides had chances to win with Bradford hitting the post as well. There was a good atmosphere created by both sets of fans, the facilities weren't great very cramped with a large away following. I felt a point was the right result in the end.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We were given a Police escort out of Bradford and back to the M606 motorway which worked well. We had no problems on the journey back either.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Valley Parade was a good away day before, during and after the game. Hope for more comebacks like this. 8/10.

Bradford City v Millwall
Football League One
Saturday 21st January 2017, 3pm
Jack Berry (Millwall fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Valley Parade Ground?

Millwall have had a number of tense matches with Bradford City over the last 18 months or so. I hadn't managed to get up to Valley Parade for the play-offs in May 2016 and so was looking forward to ticking this ground off the list.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Living in Southampton, we left at around 7am and comfortably made it to Bradford for mid-day. Not knowing the area, we opted to park in "The Broadway" shopping centre. Really convenient and safe and about a 20 minute walk to the ground.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We had time to spare, and knowing that after the match we had to drive to a hotel located outside of Bradford, we skipped the pub on this occasion. We had a look around the local shops and grabbed something to eat before heading over to the ground for about 2pm.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

The stadium on approach is a real throw-back and had an Elland Road look to it (Forgive me Bradford fans). The home stands are spectacular and although a little outdated, have a real big football ground feel to them. The away end was a little less impressive. A fairly small and unexciting stand that creaked in the northernly wind, but this kind of added to the feeling that you were the "away fans".

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Bradford created a really fantastic atmosphere. Some cracking songs and banter and although very few Millwall fans travelled, there was plenty of singing and gestures back and forth. You do feel ever so slightly distanced from the home fans which depending on personal preference can change your perception. The game saw Millwall take the lead, with a Bradford leveller ten minutes later. Both goals happening in the second half. Both teams pushed for a win but in the end, a draw seemed a fair result and did little to dent either sides play-off hopes. We didn't sample the drinks or food at the ground, however, no alcohol was sold, not sure if this was because it was Millwall (something I have seen many times before) or whether it is general policy?

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

A quick exit and not held behind for any length of time. There was a heavy Police presence as is common practice with Millwall. We headed back and found ourselves at the car park by about 5.15pm. We then headed off to the "The New Hobbit" Bed and Breakfast and Pub in Sowerby Bridge. A short drive from Bradford and a really warm and welcoming place to stay that I would highly recommend.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Overall, Valley Parade, as I know it, is an old school and typical large size ground for Yorkshire. Most sides playing around this area have a larger support and the ground seemed almost 80% full which says a lot about the size and direction Bradford City are going. I found the city safe, with a variety of things to do and an organised quick exit to whatever direction you may be going.

Bradford City v Scunthorpe United
Football League One
Monday 26th December 2016, 3pm
Paul Kirton (Scunthorpe United fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Valley Parade?

This game was a top of the table clash and a win for Scunthorpe would increase the lead at the top of the table.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

My son and me travelled on one of the eight supporters club buses,the buses dropped us off straight outside the away end entrance. The journey took about one and a half hours.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We jumped off the coach and purchased a programme for £3. We then queued at the turnstile, to be then searched by stewards before entering the ground. They were looking for cans and glass bottles as they are not allowed inside.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

We had never been to Valley Parade before. First impression was the ground had being redeveloped during there Premiership days. The away end though looks a bit dated compared with the other three sides of the stadium.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

We queued for around 30 minutes at the only refreshment hut. It was only when we got near the front of the queue that we could read the menu board. However it was brief and it didn't list what type of pies or what hot drinks they had. So when people eventually got to front of queue everyone was asking what pies and drinks they had, slowing the service down.

The game was a tight affair, although it was goalless there was plenty of action and incidents involving some strange refereeing decisions. 0-0 was probably the best result 0-0.There was a great atmosphere generated from the 21,000 crowd. If you go to a game in the winter months wrap up well as wind whistles around the stand.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Straight back onto the coach after game. I thought we would get a Police escort back to the motorway but they didn't bother.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

You can't beat going to a game on Boxing Day. It gets you out of the house and into the fresh air, Valley Parade proved to be a good day out following our team.

Bradford City v Scunthorpe United
Football League One
Monday 26th December 2016, 3pm
Charlie Betts (Scunthorpe United fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Valley Parade?

I've always fancied going to Valley Parade ever since being a kid. Also, it was a top of the table clash on Boxing Day, so very exciting.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Just a quick one and a half hour drive along the M180, M18 and M62 with not too much traffic. Parked near the Crown Court and walked a cold 20 minutes to the ground which I don't see as being too long. A lot of roads were closed off around Valley Parade itself. The stadium is just off a main road so isn't hard to find.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We arrived quite late due to bad timing on our part so walked straight through the city centre (which appeared to have some nice bars) and onto the ground.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Valley Parade?

I was very impressed when I first saw Valley Parade. The half of the ground that is built up is incredibly impressive and the away crowd get the best view of it. For this game the visiting supporters were housed across two stands, I was in the Midland Road Stand at one side of the ground which is a one large tiered stand. But most of away supporters were in the TL Dallas Stand at one end which is a double stack type of stand.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Many said the TL Dallas end was scruffy and lacked enough food and had obstructed views . Sitting in the Midland Road End though was rather pleasant with great birdseye viewing and spacious seating, though we were stood throughout. The queues for food were horrendous and stock ran out fast which was the worst thing for me about Valley Parade. As for the game, the atmosphere was fantastic all around the ground at the start of the game but fizzled out as the game dragged along at 0-0 which was the final score. With an attendance of 21,000 it definitely didn't feel like a League One mid-season game. The home fans and stewards were perfectly nice and even though we were almost in arms reach of them there was no trouble, not even an insult or two.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away on foot it was very busy attesting to the 21,000 attendance but by the time we got to the city centre car park where we were parked people and car traffic was at a minimum and we got home just as easy as we got there.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A Boxing Day game is always a blast and this was no exception, good crowds, great ground, disappointing food but all in all, Valley Parade was a good awayday.

Why you were looking forward to going to the Valley Parade Football Ground?

It seemed an interesting cup contest. Plus I 'inherited' my son's match ticket, as although he is a season ticket holder at Reading, he was unable to attend!

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We traveled up from london by car, which was pretty straight forward. Valley Parade is quite well sign posted going into Bradford and the ground itself can be seen from quite a distance away! There was loads of free parking very close to the ground too.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Before the game I went for a lovely breakfast, at a cafe on Manningham Lane. It was very good food, very cheap and everyone we saw were very friendly and pleasant!

What you thought on seeing Valley Parade, first impressions of the away end then other sides of the ground?

I had seen Valley Parade on television and on this website, before we departed, so I knew what to expect. The away stand is very dated inside, but clean and tidy and all the staff on the concoursehad a smile!

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game was awful, a dull 0-0 draw. I think that this was partly due to the condition of the pitch. Hats off to the home fans though, they sing their hearts out for the full 90 minutes and make a fantastic atmosphere!!

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We left about one minute before the end and sprinted to the car. Within 15 minutes we were back on the motorway!

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Although it was a dull game it was still a brilliant day out. I know its a long trek but would highly recommend any fan to follow their team to Valley Parade, you won't be disappointed! Well done Bradford! Top day out. Thanks!!

Bradford City v Sheffield United
League One
Saturday, October 18th 2014, 5.15pm
Matty Desforges (Sheffield United fan)

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

It was my first away day of the season and I have never visited Valley Parade before, however I had heard it is a big stadium and a good place to go to from fellow fans.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We took the train from Sheffield Station to Bradford Forster Square (changing at Leeds) and got there with about half an hour to spare, the ground is a ten minute walk from the station and is within site as soon as you step off the train so not hard to find, just follow the supporters!

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We wandered straight to the away end and into the ground to take up our seats, as we did not have much time before the beginning of the game.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The away supporters were allocated the smallest Stand in the stadium (a small two tiered stand behind the goal, called the TL Dallas Stand) and two blocks on the stand to the right of it. The TL Dallas Stand itself was very run down and we got seats on the top row of the bottom tier. This had a bit of a restricted view to the right hand corner flag and the roof above almost came down in the line of sight to the crossbar of the goal, which caused us a bit of bobbing up and down during the match to get a better view.

To the left and directly in front of us were two massive two tiered stands, which extended around one corner, where most of the home fans were situated. The more hardcore Bradford supporters were located at the top of the 'Kop' Stand, opposite to us.

Unfortunately there wasn't much of a concourse for the stand, and the food stall wasn't much better than a few mums selling cake at a Sunday league match. By the time we entered the ground they had run out of pies which we were annoyed by, so we did not buy anything.

All in all the game was fantastic from the view of a United fan, Bradford had a player sent off within a minute of the second half and United grabbed two fantastic goals later in the half, finishing in a 2-0 victory.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The movement of the away fans was slow until we were out of the stand, then it was fine. However after a certain time trains stop running from Bradford Forster Square station, so we had to treck across the city centre to Bradford Interchange (about 10 minutes further but easy to find if one of you has an GPS on their phones). Got home for 10:30pm which was fine, considering the game didn't finish until 7pm.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Fantastic day out with a fantastic result for United, would definitely revisit Valley Parade on further opportunity.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

Bradford was a new ground for me, so I was looking forward to it.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Me and a mate of mine took a train from Crewe and arrived at Bradford interchange station around 1.25pm. We decided to walk to the ground from there. It was a good 20-30min walk and when we got a little lost the Bradford fans were nice enough to point us in the right direction.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We walked through the city centre, and took a detour to an arcade where I took part in a football slots game in which I won a whistle! Good times. That only took a couple of minutes and before long we were back on our way.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

First impressions of the ground were good, the two main stands towers over the ground and is very impressive. The rest of the ground is pretty average but still on the larger side, you can defiantly tell it once hosted Premier League football. The annoying thing about this stadium is that it is set into the side of a hill, resulting in some tiring walking up it.

Me and my mate enjoyed the Bradford fans singing their version of “take me home” before the game. Was decent, the Bradford fans were loud. First half Bradford dominated the game and was really a case of Crewe hanging in there. They must have had 8-10 chances and just as many corners and probably should have scored a couple in the first 20 minutes alone. Crewe had a couple of counter attacks which got the 162 Crewe fans on their feet briefly. Because of this the Bradford supporters were good, singing most the time, mainly from the Kop Stand behind the goal and occasionally all three sides got going which was very loud at times.

I didn’t get anything to eat a half time so cannot comment. However my mate commented that the food kiosk is hidden round a corner towards the right hand side of the stand, took him a little while to find it.

Second half, Crewe had a little more of the possession and tried to attack, but again Bradford were comfortable in all honesty. Two goals in as many minutes killed the game and Bradford eased to probably their most comfortable win for a long time. No wonder we were bottom of the league by a long way we were dreadful.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

No issues on leaving the ground and walking back to the railway station.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Great stadium, one of the best I’ve been too, very noisy home fans as well which is good to see (hear) and very friendly. I personally enjoyed my experience at the Coral Windows Stadium despite the result and will consider it on my next away tour if we don’t get relegated. Good luck to Bradford, a club like this deserves to be playing at a higher level.